Participation is a key issue in understanding didactic dynamics. On the one hand, youth participatory cultures are described as incorporating gaming, multitasking, transmedia navigation and networking; on the other hand, the pre-digital meaning of participation retains a political value related to individual commitment for the common good and to…

Over the past decade the concept of taking a gap year has become mainstream in the US. This idea of delaying enrollment, or taking a break from college, before beginning a bachelor's degree, has gained popularity, especially as the cost of attendance in higher education has soared and the burden of paying for it has been placed on the student as…

Preconceived expectations for one's behavior drive how people interact with their communities. Messaging via pop culture is a common source for citizens to learn about one community engagement tool: compulsory volunteering. Compulsory volunteering, like court-ordered community service and school-based volunteering, provides an opportunity to learn…

How is required public service during college related to later civic behavior? This article reports findings from a survey of 359 alumni, conducted two years after they completed their undergraduate studies at Tulane University. The alumni held positive views of the substantial public service requirement they had completed before graduating and…

Although the tenets of modern servant leadership originated by Greenleaf (1970) have long been applied to service enterprise, no known research has applied the principles to the self-perception of AmeriCorps volunteers who commit to one year of service. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to determine whether volunteers who commit to one…

This article will begin to synthesize and extend the historical literature involving women's political culture and women teachers. Through the lens of a select group of women in Chicago, the author argues that, while higher education provided the skills women needed to enter political spaces, teaching led them to act in those political spaces.…

How can schools secure volunteers to help fix up the building and grounds? There isn't much research on how to secure volunteers to participate in school clean-ups and fix-ups, but some key ideas can be found in anecdotal examples from many communities around the nation. The first recommendation is that securing volunteers is easier when the…

This article features several community college alumni who share how community colleges contributed to their success later in their lives and how they are inspired to give back. These outstanding alumni stress the importance of community and public service. They include: (1) Dr. Richard Carmona, U.S. Surgeon General from 2002 to 2006; (2) Colonel…

This report presents a detailed assessment of the extent to which "The Pittsburgh Promise"--a postsecondary education scholarship intended to remedy the area's population decline, foster high school completion and college readiness among Pittsburgh district students, and prepare a capable and energetic workforce for the city--has met its…

This article examines whether the motive behind community service performed during high school--either voluntary or required--influences engagement in volunteer work during the young adult years. Using a sample of students from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (N = 9,966), service work in high school is linked with community…

Volunteer Maryland!, one of the national community service demonstration projects, was evaluated at 28 of 35 original host sites. Full-time trained volunteer coordinators had a significant impact on increasing the number of volunteers and on the quality of the programs. (SK)

The Youth Volunteer Corps of Canada promotes a lifelong service ethic while developing job-related skills. It is successful because it makes community service interesting and age appropriate, it treats youth volunteers with respect, and it meets real community needs. (SK)

Adolescents who volunteer do better in school, feel more positive about themselves, and avoid risky behaviors (for example, using drugs). Teens who participate in service activities also are more likely to vote, and to have a positive work ethic and a socially responsible attitude as adults. In addition to benefits for the individual, the…

The work of the Commission on Voluntary Service and Action affords perspectives on the problems that agencies face in using student volunteers. Student attitudes, preparation, adjustment, and length of service are discussed. (Editor/LBH)

According to data from the 1992 Biennial Gallup Survey on Giving and Volunteering, having some level of postsecondary education is clearly associated with increased levels of volunteering and giving. Sixty-three percent of adults aged 25 years and older with some postsecondary education reported both volunteering their time and making charitable…